Every week, it seems, brings news of a corporate coupling (or at least an invitation). Buyouts are brisk in industries ranging from technology to health care, from finance to consumer goods.
Halfway through 2014, U.S. companies had announced more than...

Swiss pharmaceutical titan Novartis AG on Tuesday announced an overhaul of its operations that involved several multibillion-dollar deals with GlaxoSmithKline intended to allow Novartis to focus on its oncology business and boost profitability, the...